The Erie Canal is far from the center of national consciousness these days, but in its time, it was a wonder to boggle the imagination, and one of the early icons of American inginuity. Naturally, such an immense project was not without controversy- particularly over how to fund it- and Bernstein covers all of that. If you live in Upstate New York, are interested in the early years of our nation's history, or if you are impressed by great stories of engineering and mankind conquering his environment, you should find this a very enjoyable read.